Western PA Local News category, Page 2652
‘Sophie’ biography explores struggles, success of Pittsburgh’s Mayor Masloff
For historian Barbara Burstin, researching the life of Sophie Masloff, Pittsburgh’s first female and Jewish mayor, was a fascinating and rewarding project. She sees Masloff’s story of overcoming poverty, sexism and anti-Semitism as inspiring to everyone. Masloff served as mayor from 1988 to 1994. “Her story is a reflection of...
Here’s a list of upcoming holiday events in the greater Murrysville area
Here are some of the holiday-themed events coming up in the Star’s coverage area. Do you have a holiday event coming up? Email staff writer Patrick Varine at pvarine@tribweb.com. • The Masterworks Concert Chorale will present “Christmas In Germany,” a choral concert featuring Beethoven’s “Mass in C,” on Dec. 14...
Marigold the potbellied pig found wandering in Indiana TownshipVideo
A pig found wandering along Dorseyville Road last week in Indiana Township remains unclaimed. The female adult mini-sized potbellied pig was found without any identifying tags on Dec. 5, reported to Indiana Township Police and later transported by volunteers to a pig rescue facility. The pig remains under the care...
Donations sought for ‘Small Town Christmas’ at Sheldon Park
Donations are needed for the second annual Small Town Christmas event in Harrison’s Sheldon Park neighborhood. The event was first held last year to help bring together and heal the community in the wake of two shootings. It ended up filling the void left when the township’s own parade and...
Jeannette revamps junior firefighter program
Isaiah Derry remembers his first fire. The adrenaline started pumping when the Jeannette boy heard the call over his pager. He got to go inside a North Second Street home after flames were extinguished and then help his fellow firefighters clean up. Derry, 14, is one of three teenagers recently...
Director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History leaving for new position
The director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History is leaving his position after almost four years for a job in North Carolina. Eric Dorfman, who became director of the museum and the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Cook Township in 2015, has accepted a position as director of the North...
Carnegie library launches new column
More than three years ago, a Trib Total Media rep gave the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall (ACFL&MH) the opportunity to advertise, for free, in the Signal Item’s “Big Flyer” insert. As the library doesn’t have an advertising budget, it was a great way for us to be...
John Oyler: Abood, Calabro and Shady
The November program meeting for the Bridgeville Area Historical Society was an outstanding presentation by Georgeanne Abood Henson about three very special members of the Greatest Generation — her grandfather, George Abood; his cousin, George Shady; and their boyhood friend and neighbor, Peter Calabro. These three young men grew up...
Community rallies around St. Joseph High School senior Eli Swierczewski as he battles Ewing’s sarcoma
It’s easy to see why St. Joseph High School is rallying around Eli Swierczewski and his second battle with cancer. Classmates, teachers and friends describe the senior with a broad infectious smile as a great person. He’s an A-student who plays soccer, basketball and his favorite, baseball, and is also...
Twisted Thistle eatery in Leechburg staying put with new menuVideo
The Twisted Thistle in Leechburg is here to stay. The historic eatery on Market Street is no longer on the market after being listed for $1.5 million in 2018. “Linda (Alworth, the owner) was interested in selling last year due to her desire to focus on other projects such as...
Baldwin High School students give up phones for a day for charity
A group of students at Baldwin High School learned the valuable lesson this week that life does go on without access to their cell phones for a day — all while raising money for a good cause. Nearly 40 students had their cell phones locked in a safe for seven...
Elite athlete from Greensburg never thought she’d end up running for her lifeVideo
In the beginning, Cheryl Collins Gatons began running for fun. It was a great way to blow off stress after work. She never imagined she would end up as a two-time qualifier for the Olympic marathon trials, or that years later she would start running for her life. The 52-year-old...
Police: Over 3,000 bags of heroin seized from Lawrenceville apartment
Officials seized more than $9,000 and 3,000 bags of heroin after serving a search warrant at an apartment in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood where two children were staying. Officers for the state Attorney General’s Office issued the warrant at the Doughboy Square Apartments at 3459 Butler St. shortly after noon Friday,...
Christmas barbershop music concert to take place in Verona
The North Hills Harmony Line Chorus will perform a special Christmas barbershop music concert at the Western Pennsylvania Center for the Arts in Verona. Good seats are still available for the show set for 2 p.m. Saturday at 300 James St. Songs will be from different genres and eras. Tickets...
‘End of an era:’ Retiring buses take riders on historic Downtown Pittsburgh route
Generations of public transit enthusiasts visited Downtown Pittsburgh on Sunday to “loop the loop” in honor of two retiring Port Authority of Allegheny County buses. The commemorative Downtown loop route, which has been out of service for the past 30 years, was reinstated Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the last...
Fans don costumes, get 1-on-1 access with celebrities at Steel City ConVideo
Steel City Con at the Monroeville Convention Center allowed pop culture fans to interact with celebrities and express themselves through costumes all weekend long. The convention celebrated it’s 30th anniversary a few months ago and is one of the largest comic conventions in the nation, according to its organizers. “The...
Crafton man allegedly killed raccoon with hammer, posted video on social media
A Pittsburgh-area construction worker is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly killing a raccoon at a job site and posting video of the incident to social media. Troy Beglinger, 22, of Crafton, allegedly killed the animal while working on a porch roof on Jancey Street in the Morningside neighborhood of...
Unique model train displays showcased in West Deer for holiday seasonVideo
Joe Puet is just as excited about model trains now as he was as a little boy. On Sunday, he enthusiastically showed his 1-year-old grandson Daniel Kline an O Scale model train display that had been set up at the Bull Creek United Presbyterian Church Model Railroad Association Holiday Train...
Ligonier Town-Wide Open House focuses on holiday spirit
With apologies to the snowman that couldn’t make it, it really was beginning to look at lot like Christmas in Ligonier on Sunday. Despite a scarcity of the white stuff, the quaint Westmoreland County mountain community nestled in the Laurel Highlands managed to radiate holiday spirit during its Town-Wide Christmas...
Welcome to Cluckingham Palace, a posh chicken coop in Kittanning TownshipVideo
It’s a chicken coop worth crowing about. Buttercup, Harper and Wren are coddled chickens residing in a custom-built henhouse on two acres in rural Armstrong County. Homeowners Debbi and Dave Reefer decided in 2016 to raise chickens on their property in Kittanning Township. “I always thought chickens were cool, and...
Police: Beaver County man charged in fatal shooting of Aliquippa man last month
An Aliquippa man Friday was charged with shooting and killing another man last month in Beaver County, authorities said. Javonte Eric Simmons, 24, remained in the Beaver County Prison on Sunday after being denied bond. He faces charges of homicide, tampering with evidence and a firearms violation in connection with...
Taxes remain flat but water, trash rates increase in Brackenridge
Real estate tax rates will be staying the same in Brackenridge, but residents will see hikes in trash collection and water rates. Council on Thursday gave final approval of a $1.16 million budget that will keep the tax rate at 6.25 mills. A new, three-year contract with Richard S. Adamik...
30 years in: Pennsylvania’s heritage areas boost tourism, local economiesVideo
Over the past three decades, the Pennsylvania Heritage Area Program has grown to cover every corner of the state — and nearly all of the middle, too. It has also matured to pump billions of tourist dollars into local economies each year. Launched in 1989 after a decade of planning,...
New Department of Education data balances cost with prestige of schools
A new addition to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows that students graduating from area universities are earning less than their counterparts across the state and country. College Scorecard breaks down annual costs, median debt and other statistics for institutions of higher education to help high school students...
The Stroller, Dec. 8, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Highlands students to present winter concert The Highlands High School Choirs will present their winter concert, “Christmas Classics” at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the high school auditorium, Natrona Heights. Performances will be by the Concert Choir, Honors Choir and Variations Show Choir. Donations will be accepted to benefit the spring...
